1. Field of the Invention
In some embodiments, this invention relates to catheter balloons useful in medical dilation and implantation procedures and more particularly to balloons which protect some of the exposed edges of implantable medical devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Stents, grafts, stent-grafts, vena cava filters, expandable frameworks, and similar implantable medical devices, collectively referred to hereinafter as stents or medical devices, are radially expandable endoprostheses which are typically intravascular implants which are introduced percutaneously when in a smaller introductory configuration and which are then capable of being implanted transluminally and enlarged radially into a deployment configuration. Stents may be implanted in a variety of body lumens or vessels such as within the vascular system, urinary tracts, bile ducts, fallopian tubes, coronary vessels, secondary vessels, etc. They may be self-expanding, expanded by an internal radial force, such as when mounted on a balloon, or a combination of self-expanding and balloon expandable (hybrid expandable). Stents may be implanted to prevent restenosis following angioplasty in the vascular system.
One complication present during stent implantation is outward flaring of the distal edge of the unexpanded stent while being tracked through various body vessels. Thus there is a need for a stent delivery system with improved edge protection.
The art referred to and/or described above is not intended to constitute an admission that any patent, publication or other information referred to herein is “prior art” with respect to this invention. In addition, this section should not be construed to mean that a search has been made or that no other pertinent information as defined in 37 C.F.R. §1.56(a) exists.
All US patents and applications and all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Without limiting the scope of the invention a brief summary of some of the claimed embodiments of the invention is set forth below. Additional details of the summarized embodiments of the invention and/or additional embodiments of the invention may be found in the Detailed Description of the Invention below.